your favourite pain-in-the-ass

Category Archives: work

Even though I may come across as an idiot at times, there are other times I give sage advice to my friends. Times I call ‘Moments of Epiphany’ and ‘Non-idiot’.

Recently, a person I would call a friend was facing challenges at work. One of the chief complaints was the fact that his superior at work completely messed up his work review and bluntly admitted that the review was not submitted to Human Resources on time. The review was critical in determining his merit increment.

I hold the opinion that three things wentwrong here:

1) Superior did not submit documents by stipulated timeframe (this itself was whatthefuck)

2) Human Resources did not follow up with superior in question (another what the fuck)

3) My friend waited too long to raise the issue (a minor what the fuck)

I encouraged my friend to ask his superior first before moving on to talk to Human Resources. Give the superior an opportunity to right the wrong. After a few weeks of evading my friend’s questions, on top of the four months since the review, the superior finally submitted.

As a result my friend was disappointed. His mood changed. He started to question himself, his professional capability, and his self-worth. He felt angry. He felt cheated on.

“But I did everything he asked me to,” he said, with a mix of sadness and anger.

“Even if you were vegetarian that doesn’t mean you would not be mauled/murdered by a bull,” I coolly replied while wincing.

“Are we doing quotes of the day?”

“Just saying”

He then became unmotivated at work. He did not want to lunch with anyone, and wanted to use his lunch time to lick wounds. He would leave his desk the moment the clock struck 6pm.

Occasionally I check in with him out of concern.

“Still eating by yourself?”

“I need me time,” he texted back.

“Okay. You know what they say. In the company of other people, take care of your tongue. When you are by yourself, take care of your thoughts”

“Are we still doing QOTDs?” he replied with an emoji.

“Just concerned”

I have been working since I was 19. My first supervisor at work was an asshole, and I was too inexperienced then to come out of a bad situation unscathed. I still remember I always wished he would die on the way to work. He is still alive. But the world would not miss him. :p

I just hope with encouragement from his loved ones, my friend would rise above this bad work situation and come out stronger, more professional, and wise.